Wars of Religion

Background on France

• Habsburg-Valois Wars – Ended in 1559. – War between Spain and France over control of Italy. (We

didn’t talk about this much)– Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis

• French Monarchy remained loyal to Rome and Catholic Church. – Concordat of Bologna – Treaty with Pope to allow French

Crown to appoint all bishops and abbots. • Significant portion of French were Calvinists. – Known as Huguenots– 10% of population – Mostly in urban areas

Weak Leadership leads to War

• King Henry II gets shot in the face. • 3 successive heirs proved feeble and weak. • Lords and Nobles rebelled against this weakness by adopting

Protestantism. • Wars broke out between Protestants and Catholics in France.

– Over use of sacred images, sacraments, etc• Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

– King Sister Margaret Valois (Catholic) married Henry of Navarre (Protestant)

– Attempt at reconcilation– Resulted in massacre of Huguenots by Catholic mobs

• Civil War broke out for 15 years

Politiques and Savior of France

• French agriculture, commerce, and trade were on the brink of total collapse.

• Politiques – Moderates who wanted a strong monarch to emerge and take control. – Wanted religious tolerance of Huguenots

• Catherine de’Medici – Wife of Henry II dies. • Henry III – Assassinated. • Henry of Navarre emerges as heir. (also a politique. Also

guys whose wedding caused a Civil War)• Henry converts to Catholicism (Becomes Henry IV)• Issues Edict of Nantes – Religious liberty to Huguenots.

Netherlands – Religious Conflict• Charles V – Holy Roman Emperor abdicates the throne following

the Peace of Augsburg. • Leaves control of the Spanish Empire to his son Phillip II. • The Netherlands (Low Countries) were loosely associated cities. • Protestant ideas, especially Calvinism took hold.

– Riots and revolts against Catholic Church

• Phillip II – Super Catholic Spaniard decides to fix this. – Sends Duke of Alva to handle situation. – “Council of Blood” – Tribunal that led to the death of 1500 Protestants. – He’s also engaged in war with Elizabeth I in England with the Spanish Armada

• These actions reaffirmed Catholicism was bad and also Spanish rule was bad. – Civil War Breaks out– 10 Southern Provinces (Modern Day Belgium) stays under Spain– 7 Northern Provinces (Modern Day Netherlands) stays Protestant and declares

Independence as the Union of Utrecht.